Convertable, multi-use book rest

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the introduction of the new “HIS REST” book rest is to bring to the present and the future the most advanced book rest of our day. In the past book rests have been cumbersome and awkward, not providing ease of use and multitasking usability. 
     “HIS REST” book rest can be used flat, on a table or lap, or opened it can sit on any flat surface and hold any material to be viewed, up at an angle suitable for the comfort of the person viewing. It can also be “hung” on the back of any flat or curved seat or bench, giving the user a hands free book rest at a comfortable viewing level. 
     This book rest opened and turned upside down, becomes an easel of many uses, such as displaying photos, art, or flip-charts used in meeting presentations. 
     The versatility of this particular book rest make it a formidable replacement for all prior art of its nature!

FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA

Not applicable.

REFERENCES CITED 456089 July 1891 Harrison 248/452 1899404 February, 1933 White 4116414 September, 1978 Robertson 248/451 4553728 November, 1985 Corsello 248/452 D327172 June, 1992 Pagano D6/312 5855329 January, 1999 Pagano 248/451 5893546 April, 1999 Renfroe 248/451

FEDERAL SPONSORED R&D

Not Applicable.

SEQUENCE LISTING, TABLES, COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to books and/or other media, that in order to be read and/or marked up hands free, can be placed upon this invention and will be at an incline angle so as to be easily viewed. A book rest is typically situated on a table, lap, or other flat horizontal surface.

2. Description of Prior Art

Book and media holders of this type have relied on a variety of useful constructions for supporting a book or papers in an upstanding position so that they can be easily read without holding them in hand. Typically, a user would use one or both hands to support a book in an angled upright open position, allowing said media to be viewed. This precludes or makes impossible other hand functions while reading. Several means of propping up viewable media have been devised trying to remedy this problem. Another aspect of the problem is in the classroom or meeting environment where holding reading material in your lap causes great discomfort to the neck and back.

Prior art book rests of this type typically have a support frame or surface with extensions to support the book and possible adjustable legs for different angle reading. Some prior art includes clips or strips under spring tension or weighted to hold pages flat. Some examples are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,899,404, 2,156,225, 2,441,932, 4,416,414, 4,712,760 and 5,052,650.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,932 shows an easel type book rest with a pair of criss-cross collapsible X-shaped support frames that pivot to support the upper frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A convertible book rest for supporting and displaying any suitable media for reading or viewing, hands free in an angled, upright position. This book rest is peculiar in that it can be sat on a flat horizontal surface or clipped to the back of a chair in front of the user, or when configured with the pivot at the top of the body, can be permanently mounted to the back of any flat-backed chair, pew or wall. When opened by lifting the upper body and separating the hook and loop material, two support legs drop down by gravity and automatically prevent the book rest from closing and prevent any further interaction by the user to secure the unit until the book rest is no longer needed, at which time the user folds the two legs together allowing the top body to fall into its place of storage, retained there by hook and loop material, noiselessly and efficiently. Most other devices of this type have typically been bulky, cumbersome, and generally difficult to manage. This invention is very user friendly!

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the book rest shown with the unit folded in the storable, portable position. It might be noted that the book rest can be utilized in this configuration propped up or leaned against some suitable object.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the book rest shown in the open, usable position, atop a suitable flat surface such as a tabletop or a persons lap.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the book rest open, so that it could be clipped over the back of a chair or pew, easily removed by lifting the book rest off the back of the chair or pew and folding the legs in allowing the top to drop closed naturally, secured by the hook and loop material. Then the clips could be stowed and the unit transported without obstruction.

FIG. 4 is an xray view of the top body of the book rest that is portable, showing the attachment of the steel rod legs (item #5) and how they fit into the formed tabs (item #6) strategically placed so as to provide maximum support strength and ease of movement. The raised portion of the underside also shows the attachment area for the hook and loop material (item #10) used to secure the top panel to the bottom panel when the unit is to be closed. The mounting hooks (item #1) are also shown in the open or usable position. They are under coil spring tension (item #2) allowing easy movement to the stowed position (item #3).

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the book rest showing all pertinent dimensions in the upright usable configuration, open as normal. Picture (imagine) the unit upside down, but with the clips opened and now used to hold and support a flat board such as an white eraser board, flip chart, or painting canvas, turning this book rest into an easel for presentations or art work, doubling it's functionality from book rest to easel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, in the flat or stowed position, the invention is seen to have a flat surface (8) for the resting of any media to be read or displayed, being kept in place by the lower raised extension of material (9) and the medias tendency to slide down the face of the invention. Near the top of the flat surface there is another raised extension (11) for the purpose of resting writing instruments or any other items to be used in the course of marking up or making notes on said media. In this stowed position the invention can be propped up on any flat surface such as a table, or placed on a persons lap to be functional as a book rest.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings, in the open or second useable position, the invention is seen to have another flat surface (7) that now is extended toward the rear and retained by drop-down support legs (5) one on each side. Now the invention can be utilized as an angled book rest or display sitting on any flat surface, or can be hooked over the back of a chair in front of the user simply by hanging the invention using the two fold-out hooks (1), one on each side at the top rear. This position gives the user a hands free table with the media held at an angle such as is condusive for reading or displaying said media. Again the lower raised extension (9) supporting the media and the upper raised extension (11) holding writing or marking instruments.

Referring to FIG. 4, the different elements of the construction are viewed dimensionally as an x-ray.

Item 1: A fold-away hook assembled to the body by way of two brackets, with compression spring tension providing resistance to the hooks so as to keep them positioned yet easily repositioned or stowed.

Item 2: The coil springs described in item 1 above.

Item 3: A slot cut in the top rear body to allow the hook to be stowed completely out of the way.

Item 4: One of four (4) brackets to hold the two (2) hooks and coil springs.

Item 5: One of two (1 on each side) drop-down legs that by gravity when the lower drop-down body (7) is released, will fall into position so as to support the lower drop-down body in the position shown, making it suitable for a book rest (invention intent) or media display. The weight of the upper body will hold the legs firmly in the shelf of the lower body, and when books or media are added to the upper body, their weight further helps secure the two (2) bodies together.

Item 6: Drop-down leg attachment brackets, two on each side, under and attached to the main body.

Item 7: Secondary body or drop-down, attached to the main body and allowed to pivot by way of two (2) rivets (one on each side). In a different configuration with the pivot moved to the top of the main body, the invention can be assembled to the back of a flat chair or bench seat (pew) as a permanent fixture with the same intended function.

Item 8: The main body of the invention designed the hold, support, or otherwise retain any fitable media such as books, magazines, art, or any items to be displayed in such fashion as to be viewed by persons or optical equipment (cameras, etc.) and to hold writing or marking instruments handily, in any of the positions described heretofore.

Item 9: The lower raised extension on the main body for the purpose of supporting any type of media laid to rest on the top of the main body. In the upright position, media or books would tend to slide down the body. These raised extensions prevent this.

Item 10: Hook and loop material attached to the upper and lower drop-down body, that are used to secure the lower body to the upper body any time the user wants to use the invention in a flat position, or desires to store the unit away folded flat.

Item 11: Upper raised extension for the purpose of retaining writing instruments, marking media, or any tools utilized by the user to manipulate the media on the invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, this drawing shows the pertinent dimensions and measurements of the entire invention, again in the xray format, keeping in mind that the pivot point for the lower body can be located at the top of the upper body allowing the invention to be attached permanently to any flat surface, horizontal, vertical, or at any angle in between the two. 

1. A book rest for the purpose of supporting books or other reading or viewing material, the book rest comprising: a two-piece, rectangular, injection molded plastic body, pan shaped and sandwiched together and allowed to pivot from the top with two pins when opened, the bottom inside the top, concealing the two drop-down struts that when in use, support the book rest top. The two struts are steel rod material, 3/16 inch thick, assembled by snapping them into two molded □eceiver clips on each side of the under side of the main body (top).
 2. The book rest set forth in claim 1 is put to use by releasing the hook & loop material located in the lower middle of the main body. This results in the lower body swinging down in an arch due to the joining together of the top and bottom bodies, using small, short metal rivets located at the top left and right sides of each of the bodies. As the opening takes place the stowed metal rods swing down freely by gravity until they contact the inside left and right of the bottom body, forming the very rigid braces for the book rest. Now the book rest can be placed on a flat surface such as a table, or the user can set it on their lap and set the material to be viewed on the flat top surface of the book rest.
 3. The book rest set forth in claim 2 can also be put to use in this configuration by positioning the two movable hook-type rods assembled to the top of the inside of the top body in such a way as to hook the rods over the back of a chair or pew in front of the user, thereby allowing the user to view the material at near eye level and in a position such as to facilitate ease of reading or marking-up or writing on said material.
 4. The book rest as set forth in claim 3 can also be utilized by turning said book rest upside down, resting on a flat surface such as a table, and extending the two steel rod hooks that previously were used over a chair back, but now upside down can be used to hold and otherwise support a flip chart for a presentation or some art media for painting or sketching. 